Helping Others Thrive: The Power of Coaching and Life Experience
Sacha van der Wardt is a coach who helps individuals find clarity, confidence, and balance in their lives. Drawing on her extensive professional background and personal experiences, she supports her clients in reconnecting with their true selves and achieving their goals.
Can you tell us what you do now?
Hi, I’m Sacha van der Wardt. I live in Amsterdam with my husband, our three sons, and our dog Django. I have over 20 years of marketing experience and I’m very familiar with the challenges you can encounter at work. Expectations are high, and you want to excel at everything. It’s easy to lose yourself in the daily hustle and forget why you’re doing what you’re doing. That can make you lose a part of yourself.
How did you get to where you are now? What education, life lessons, or mistakes have led you to this point?
I’ve always been interested in coaching, stemming from my youth and life experiences. Until I was 18, I lived abroad. My father’s job required us to move frequently. Each time, it was a new country, a new school, new kids. Early on, I developed a clear pattern of ‘adapting,’ often putting myself second. At 18, I moved alone from the Caribbean to the Netherlands (for the first time since leaving at age 5) to study. It was a tough adjustment. Thanks to my perseverance, I completed both my studies (Business Administration and Economics at the University of Amsterdam) in one go.
Sacha works at Stories Emmaplein.
At 23, I started working for large companies, putting in maximum effort, which led to multiple promotions. By 37, after several roles, being in the middle of a major home renovation, and pregnant with my second son, I burned out. I had been juggling too many balls for too long. That’s when I decided to take control and make more conscious choices about what I really wanted to do. An NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) course helped me. I learned to be less of a people-pleaser and to listen to myself: What do I think? What do I want? I sought my ‘authentic self.’
I wanted more freedom, which led me to quit my marketing job and start my own business in the same field. I enjoyed doing this for eight years. Then a friend introduced me to coaching. I completed a 2 year coaching education program. It felt like all pieces of the puzzle came together. In 2017, I completed the Coach Intensive program at Nonons in Amsterdam. In 2018, I opened… I decided to quit my interim marketing positions and fully focus on Coaching. In 2020, I decided to deepen my expertise and completed the Coach Expert program. From then on, I focused entirely on coaching, leaving marketing behind.
I’ve learned a lot from these intense experiences, and the beauty of coaching is that it has also helped me get to know myself better. To me, life wisdom is essential for understanding and empathizing with others’ challenges. That’s what makes me feel confident, I understand the hurdles they face because I’ve walked the same path.
Did you find it scary to start your own business? How did you make the decision?
I had already transitioned from employment to self-employment once, so that part wasn’t too scary. What was different this time was that I was entering a completely new field. I was a ‘new coach’ in the vast coaching market in the Netherlands. The challenging part was figuring out how to stand out, attract clients, and handle it if things didn’t work out. Despite these uncertainties, I was determined. I followed my intuition and knew this work would give me energy and fulfillment.
What type of clients can come to you? Why specifically these?
My clients come to me with a variety of questions, such as:
Career: “I don’t know if I still enjoy my job,” or “I’m unsure about my talents and interests.”
Business coaching: “I want to start a business but am scared/don’t know how.”
Increasing assertiveness/self-confidence: setting boundaries.
Perfectionism.
Taking control of life: gaining self-awareness and making choices for oneself.
Overcoming limiting beliefs.
Stress & burnout symptoms.
Respectful confrontation/communication in difficult situations.
Work-life balance.
My favorite areas to coach are self-confidence/self-assuredness and work-life balance. Many of my clients are (highly educated) women in their 30s or 40s who feel stuck in their work because they lack confidence. With my years of experience in the (masculine) corporate world, I can empathize with their situations and feelings. I find methods like Voice Dialogue and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) very effective in addressing these issues.
How did you find- and what made you choose Stories?
I heard about Stories from a fellow coach. He was so enthusiastic that I immediately wanted to check it out. I’ve worked at other coaching locations before but felt they lacked a certain atmosphere. They were a bit too ‘clinical or stuffy.’ When I first walked into this place, I was instantly sold. The calmness of the spaces, the serene and luxurious coaching rooms in a beautiful building—it was perfect. My clients feel so comfortable too.
Sacha van der Wardt
Member at Stories Emmaplein.
Sacha van der Wardt is a certified coach based in Amsterdam, specializing in self-confidence, work-life balance, and personal growth. With a background in marketing and a passion for helping others, she guides clients toward living authentically and achieving their full potential.
Send Sacha an e-mail! info@thecoachingpractice.nl
or find her website; www.thecoachingpractice.nl
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